Rhythm Heaven/Development: Difference between revisions

Towards the end of 2004, the team working on ''[[Rhythm Tengoku]]'' wanted to create a version of the game for the [[wikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]] as well, which had just been released. At the time they could not create a pleasing rhythm game that took advantage of the Touch Screen, so they focused on the [[wikipedia:Game Boy Advance|Game Boy Advance]] version instead<ref>"ゲームボーイアドバンス用として制作をスタートした『リズム天国』ですが、ちょうどニンテンドーDSが発売されるという時期でしたので、ニンテンドーDS版も視野に入れて制作を進めることにしたんです。当然、ニンテンドーDSでやるからには、タッチパネルを使ったリズムゲームを模索しなければいけない。しかし、そのときはタッチパネルを活かした気持ちのいいリズムゲームが生まれませんでしたので深追いせずに、ゲームボーイアドバンス版だけに注力することになったんです。" ("Rhythm Tengoku" began production for the Game Boy Advance, but it was just at the time when the Nintendo DS was about to be released, so we decided to proceed with production with an eye toward a Nintendo DS version as well. Naturally, since we were going to work on the Nintendo DS, we had to find a rhythm game that used the Touch Screen. However, at that time, we could not create a pleasing rhythm game that took advantage of the Touch Screen, so we decided not to pursue it too deeply and focus only on the Game Boy Advance version.) ~ [[w:nintendo:Katsuya Yamano|Katsuya Yamano]], [https://www.1101.com/nintendo/rythm_heaven2/18.html ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 - 樹の上の秘密基地。] (Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun - A secret base on a tree.)</ref>. Towards the end of development at the beginning of 2006, the [[wikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]] became a huge hit, so the staff revisited the idea, however it would've taken a long time to port the work they had already made for the GBA version, and as the game contained previously [[Koi no Honey Sweet Angel|unreleased]] [[WISH Kimi o Matenakute|songs]], they decided not to delay the game. During an interview on September 21, 2006, supervisor [[w:nintendo:Katsuya Yamano|Katsuya Yamano]] teased the idea of a sequel for the [[wikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]]<ref>"そういうわけでニンテンドーＤＳ版での発売はなくなったかに思えたんですが、『リズム天国』の開発が終盤となったころ、つまり今年のはじめのころに、ニンテンドーＤＳがご存じのように社会現象になるほど大ヒットしまして、「いま一番勢いのあるゲーム機で発売するべきでは？」という話が持ち上がり、再度検討することになったんです。とはいえ、ゲームボーイアドバンス版でほぼ完成しているものを移植するにしても時間が掛かりますし、一方で、ゲームの中には、時東ぁみさんや、久礼聡史さんが歌う、未発表曲が含まれていて、あまり発売がのびるのもどうか？・・・ということで、最終的にゲームボーイアドバンスでの発売となりました。え？　あらためてニンテンドーＤＳで『リズム天国』の続編を？まあ、そういう声が高まれば‥‥いやいや、軽はずみなことは言えませんね。" (However, toward the end of the development of "Rhythm Tengoku", or at the beginning of this year, the Nintendo DS, as you know, became such a huge hit that it became a social phenomenon, and we thought, "Why not release the game on the console that is currently the most popular?" We decided to reexamine the idea. However, it would take a long time to port the Game Boy Advance version, which was almost completed, and on the other hand, the game included previously unreleased songs sung by Ami Tokito-san and Soshi Kurei-san, so we wondered if we should delay the release too much. So, the game was finally released on the Game Boy Advance. Huh? A sequel to "Rhythm Tengoku" for the Nintendo DS? Well, if people start talking about it...well, I can't say anything rash.) ~ [[w:nintendo:Katsuya Yamano|Katsuya Yamano]], [https://www.1101.com/nintendo/rythm_heaven2/18.html ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞 - 樹の上の秘密基地。] (Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun - A secret base on a tree.)</ref>. While working on the [[Rhythm Tengoku/Arcade|arcade version]], the developers faced the challenge of figuring out what the next game in the series would be like, which wasn't easy. Director and chief programmer [[w:nintendo:Kazuyoshi Osawa|Kazuyoshi Osawa]] considered a control mechanic that involved the Touch Screen. The ability to touch the edge of the Touch Screen which would make a tapping sound was considered, but was determined to be too difficult, and so a flicking action was adopted instead. It took a little getting used to, however. Eventually, they realized that combining sound with the flicking action provided a good sense of timing, but they had considered returning to button controls all the while. The flick action took  about two to three months for background research and more than six months to eventually adapt the control into ''[[Rhythm Heaven]]''<ref>[https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ds/rhythm-heaven/0/2/ Iwata Asks - Rhythm Heaven - Page 3]</ref>.